


Three Days of Drunken Sin

by grandfatherclock



Series: Half-Seconds at a Time [12]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:47:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23321932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grandfatherclock/pseuds/grandfatherclock
Summary: The first day, Essik tries to just… settle in.His friend—well. Essik doesn’t know what he’s doing in Nicodranas, and in particular theLavishfuckingChateauwith his ex-boyfriend, but he’s here. Such are the perils of dating someone heworkswith. There’s a conference in the Menagerie Coast? Of course, send the two lead researchers on the project. Essik and Nym wouldn’t mind the time alone together, would they?Essik scowls, miserably listening to the Ruby sing. It’s wrong to be miserableas the fucking Ruby of the Seasings, and it’s one more thing he can blame on Nym’s perfect smile as he intertwines his fingers with some new beautiful stranger, giving him bedroom eyes as he draws their joined hands up to kiss him on the knuckle.Fucker.And of course, there’s the redhead.
Relationships: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast
Series: Half-Seconds at a Time [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1526909
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47





	Three Days of Drunken Sin

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt shadowgast + Hozier lyric _Three days of drunken sin_.

The first day, Essik tries to just… settle in.

His friend—well. Essik doesn’t know what he’s doing in Nicodranas, and in particular the _Lavish_ fucking _Chateau_ with his ex-boyfriend, but he’s here. Such are the perils of dating someone he _works_ with. There’s a conference in the Menagerie Coast? Of course, send the two lead researchers on the project. Essik and Nym wouldn’t mind the time alone together, would they?

Essik scowls, miserably listening to the Ruby sing. It’s wrong to be miserable _as the fucking Ruby of the Sea_ sings, and it’s one more thing he can blame on Nym’s perfect smile as he intertwines his fingers with some new beautiful stranger, giving him bedroom eyes as he draws their joined hands up to kiss him on the knuckle.

Fucker.

And of course, there’s the redhead.

The redhead is collecting drinks that have long been emptied into guests’ throats, and he flashes a charming smile here and there as he moves, silently and unobtrusively, through the crowd. Even Nym’s eyes drag on him for a moment, and Essik too finds himself enraptured by the pale blue eyes that seem translucent under the overpowering, sensual lights that highlight Marion Lavorre’s dress as she sings in the lobby.

It’s a religious experience, seeing a beautiful stranger as the Ruby’s heavenly voice croons in your ear.

Essik holds tight onto his wine glass the rest of the night, lest the perfect stranger come his way.

* * *

The second day, Essik can hear Nym entertaining the half-elf on his arm from the night before in the other room. It’s when he can hear Nym _groaning_ —Nym used to only do that for the two of them, when it _was_ just the two of them, the two of them falling in love, the two of them with each other—that he was floating down the stairs in his bedrobes, practically this apparition this late—early?—into the morning.

He can see the redhead in the lobby, sitting beside the counter as he reads a book. His hair is drawn into this fiery ponytail, and Essik finds himself flushing as the man’s radiant eyes flit over to meet his own, catching Essik in an embarrassed half-smile, half-grimace. Essik awkwardly raises his hand in this pathetic wave, and the man just stares.

Then he raises his hand back, a coy smile playing on the smooth stretch of his mouth, and Essik just turns sharply away, floating back up the steps.

* * *

The third day, Nym yells at him.

“You’re so fucking _stupid_ , Theylas,” his ex-boyfriend—colleague—friend rages at him, shaking his fist at his back as Essik takes one more step out the Chateau. It’s not too threatening, Nym is also a mage, and thus, weak, but he can feel his gut twisting as he turns and _glares_ at his childhood friend. “Don’t give me that look,” Nym continues. “You could’ve been indulging in three days of absolute _sin_ , but instead you’ve wallowed—”

“Three days of sin,” Essik repeats, outraged. “I’m sorry I’m not like you, I’m sorry I can’t let loose like _you_ —”

“Don’t make this about our relationship, Essik.” Nym is flushing now, and he’s looking for onlookers.

Fucker. “I don’t just… I can’t just do this,” Essik says, and he’s turning on his heel.

Into the redhead. Of course.

“You left this in your room,” the man says, his Zemnian accent lilting and perfect. It’s this file, and Essik is reaching for it with his own purple skin darkening as he realizes he’s been so out of sorts that he for _got his research file—_ “I hope you enjoyed your stay,” he continues, and is Essik didn’t know better—and he didn’t—he would swear there is an annoying _amusement_ to his professional friendliness.

“Th-thank you,” Essik stammers.

He nods, and starts to turn away.

Essik can practically _feel_ Nym glaring into his back. “Wait,” he practically s _hrieks_ in one stupid moment of bravery, and Nym at the very least, with a smug huff, as the decency to turn away. “Um. If I ever come here again—ah.” He’s fumbling.

“My name is Caleb,” the man says, extraordinarily gently. And then, with a wicked, unfair little smile, “I get off at four.”

“We leave at nine,” Nym says, before Essik can.

“I’ll see you, then,” Caleb says, and the smile heightens in its perfection. His pale skin looks like it glows in the heat of the Nicodrani sun, and Essik’s grip tightens on his parasol.

“Yes,” Essik says, before Nym can cut in. Caleb is turning once more, and Essik’s eyes drag greedily over his shoulders. “Yes,” he whispers, this time to himself.

He punches Nym’s shoulder as he passes him. It doesn’t hurt Nym in the slightest.


End file.
